Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Happy Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but I’m glad this particular Monday is over! We had a power outage due to storms that lasted over an hour and a half, than it was practically a monsoon the rest of the day. BUT, thankfully we {and our loved ones} survived the storms, and for that, I am truly grateful!

Tennessee is relatively mild when it comes to weather, at least if you like the summer heat {I do!}, but mid Spring and early Fall we often get severe weather that all too often turns in tornado warnings and watches. I’m hoping my next house has a basement or some sort of underground shelter area, it can be quite scary.

Anyway, I figured what better way to start Tuesday than with this fresh, cheerful Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie! I love smoothies, although I’m such a creature of habit, I rarely eat them for breakfast. Instead I stick with my tried-and-true Greek yogurt with flax, berries, bran flakes and a little coconut oil, topped with cinnamon! Which would actually make a pretty good smoothie, too. BUT, I like to chew. There is something psychologically satisfying in chewing my food as opposed to just drinking it.

I’m not making a very good case for this smoothie, am I? But really, I do love smoothies. They come in all colors and flavors, and there is no wrong or right. It’s just about what you’re in the mood for and whats hanging out in the fridge or freezer. Not only that, but I’m often amazed at how full I feel after downing a good smoothie.

And blueberries. Ah, blueberries. Frozen, fresh, in a pie, or a muffin, I’ll take them whenever I can. I love blueberries. Which is why, to me, they are the perfect base for this Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie. They are the ideal sweet berry, not too tart, no seeds to overcome, and both a flavor and color that overpowers, in a good way, whatever its paired with.

For this smoothie, I added in some flax-seed, {my go-to for morning meals, it helps start the day off with some healthy fat and fiber} and whole oats to thicken it up a bit while adding some nutritional benefits. Another go-to for me when it comes to breakfast is cinnamon. I try to add about a teaspoon of cinnamon to my breakfast every morning, it’s a great metabolism booster. For more reasons to make this Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie, check out all the amazing health benefits below!

BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRIES:

Contain fiber as well as vitamins such as C, K and B6, and minerals like phosphorous and manganese.

Blueberries contain plant pigments called anthocyanins, these compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help increase brain signals and memory function.

BENEFITS OF FLAXSEED:

Good source of Lignans, an antioxidant which helps protect against breast, ovarian, uterine and prostrate cancers.

Contains insoluble and soluble fiber, the latter being able to slow the rise of blood-sugar levels after a meal (good for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes).

As a good source of fiber, it also helps regulate bowel movements and to prevent constipation.

BENEFITS OF WHOLE OATS:

Whole oats are a good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and are particularly high in B vitamins, phosphorus and iron. In 1 cup of cooked oats, there are approximately 150 calories, 6 g of protein and 4 g of fiber. (The iron is important for those of you like myself who don’t eat a lot of red meat!)

Purchase organic whole oats if possible to eliminate the chemicals, additives or genetic modifications that are often used on the non-organic oats.

I don’t know about you, but for me, clean eating does not always come easy. There are times when the Cheetos on the lunch table or the Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies in the kitchen seem to be screaming my name. I don’t buy those things at home, so it is much easier to make good choices, but of course I cannot control what others bring into the office. During these times, I have to continually remind myself that what I put into my body is what I can expect out of it. It’s not just about the calorie intake of these unhealthy choices, it’s about what they have to offer, or rather what they lack to offer in the way of nutrition for my body. Aside from that, these processed snacks contain added chemicals, preservatives and other things that our bodies are not meant to consume.

A quick smoothie like this one, helps keep me in check and is not only satisfying to my taste buds, but it energizes my mind and spirit too as I know it is adding value to my health as opposed to harm.

Sorry for the quick soap-box, I hope each of you have a fabulous Tuesday!

It’s interesting to read your little health run-downs, Kaylee. I often quickly eat a banana when I don’t have time for breakfast, or grab a bowl of oats when I do, but I don’t think of adding too much else. Great idea to sprinkle over some cinnamon. And I’m definitely with you on the blueberries. I love them, too!

I love smoothies too but also love to chew something for breakfast! I’ve compromised by eating half of a banana and throwing the other half in the smoothie. And I usually snag a spoonful of PB too ;) Love the purple in this smoothie…I always forget about adding blueberries to mine but I’m gonna give it a shot soon..same with the flaxseed!

Oh good idea eating half the idea then throwing the other half into a smoothie, like having your cake and eating it, too! LOVE peanut butter in a banana smoothie, with a little honey and almond milk? Yes please :)

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I'm Kaylee, former full-time Interior Designer, now full-time mommy, part-time designer and part-time food blogger! My family and I live in Franklin, TN and this is my little piece of the internet where I enjoy sharing my love for healthy food as well as a look into our day-to-day lives!

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Health and nutrition have always been important to me, but over the past several years, my knowledge and interest in food and how it affects our body has really expanded. So, with my love for cooking, organic produce, and whole foods, I hope to inspire you in your cooking adventures and journey of good health, the way so many other food blogs have inspired me! Read More…